IT professionals know their worth

Hays IT consultants have noticed the trend that IT candidates have higher demands. They clearly feel that there is (still) a substantial need for their expertise, and they aren’t afriad to join conversations with a list of requirements. Some common desires include, of course, the salary, but even a company car and working from home are gaining traction.

Smaller cake

However, there is an important side note that IT candidates should bear in mind: a decline in the amount of available positions. Companies are currently opting for a recruitment stop or are looking for the best profiles in-house.

This means that the cake is becoming smaller for IT candidates, while their demands remain high. Job seekers certainly shouldn’t settle for less, but the chance of compromise has become bigger. Employers should also keep that list of demands in mind.

What do IT professionals want?

Hays researched the desires of employees in different sectors. When looking at IT profiles, some desires jumped out:

1. Salary
   Salary is very important, but a little bit less than in other sectors. Nevertheless, it’s still the number 1 desire of the bunch: 66% of respondents expects a higher salary in their new job.
    
2. Work culture
   Work culture is also indicated as a make-or-break factor. Almost 60% of respondents would accept a lower salary if the work culture compensates that.
    
3. Career opportunities
   More than 80% indicates that career opportunities are important, since they’re very ambitious.
    
4. Training
   Almost half of the respondents would refuse a job offer if there are no trainings or learning opportunities available.

Making the match

Of course, these numbers are a trend, but we see the same thing happening in practice. With the conclusions above in mind, it’s important that both candidates and clients really think about what they expect of the other party.

A recruitment firm can be a huge added value in this process – both as a mediator and to ascertain a healthy dose of ‘expectations management’. Hays’ recruitment consultants know their sector like the back of their hand and are perfectly capable of estimating what possibilities there are. It would be too bad if you miss out on the ideal job or candidate due to static noise when talking about offers!

Contractors

Within IT, you can always find many freelancers or contractors. They are often sought after for specific projects that have a certain deadline, or to (temporarily) introduce a certain skill into the company. Their desires are different from fixed employees’, for example, because they don’t intend to stay at the same company for a ‘long time’. And yet, there are some things you should keep in mind:

• A decent on- and offboarding is also important for contractors. Onboarding is only important to make them feel part of the team, because even though they’re only temporary, they still have to collaborate with your fixed employees. A good offboarding, on the other hand, is important for a contractor to get (and give) feedback on their work and to make sure that they leave happily and recommend your company to co-freelancers who are still looking for a job.
   
• Some future prospects are always welcome. Give some insight into possible future projects the freelancer might be qualified for.
   
• Since a contractor will be working for you for a specific project and/or for a limited time, it is important to give them a realistic estimate of work and deadlines. It’s frustrating for both parties when unrealistic deadlines are set.
   
• Though freelancers leave again after a certain time, you should still immerse them in the work culture. Consider them a real part of the team, because in the end, they are.

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